Yup... didn't get the chance to spin the wheels and get the ratio cause I was COOOOOOLD its like 40 degrees out!!! Chazztown people aren't used to cold temps

 

GSL-SE:

Finally decided it was as good as I could make it and no harm in trying the oil lines. Hooked everything up. Adjusted the AC belt. Tied up the wires to the oil line like they originally were. Filled it up with oil. Reconnected the battery and it cranked for a half second and fired right up. Good oil pressure. Peeked underneath and no obvious leaks. I wanted to get it warmed up and since I didn't have any brake fluid in it because I am also changing out the flex lines with stainless I was just going to idle it until the water temp came up some. I was setting the radio stations and noticed the low oil indicator had come on so I shut it off and looked underneath to a puddle that spanned to both tires. I rolled the car out of the garage and dumpped the kitty litter. Checked the dip stick, just touching the end. I couldnt find where it was leaking so I got a friend to crank it while I looked and found it right away. The top fitting on the oil cooler has a crack and the oil just pours out of it. I guess I get to replace the oil cooler. It is possible that this was the original source of the oil leak only much more subdued. Anyone have a good 85 SE oil cooler that you want to sell? Any tricks to getting it off the car? I cleaned up tools and put stuff away a bit and then started on the flex lines. Right rear was easy. Left rear is fighting all the way. I couldn't get either end of the line loose. Ive got the proper flange wrenches too. I had this same problem with the left one on the GSL-EV when I replace that. I ruined the hard line and had to fabricate one. I don't want to do that again. Anyway it got dark so I put the wheels back on and called it a day.

Parked the GSL-EV next to it and since this is the first time I've had them side by side Ill see if I can take a reasonable photo tomorrow and post. My driveway isn't very photogenic though.

 

Where's the pic!!!! Apparently the top line is a real problem for a lot of us.

 

Here is the hose.

 

I WANTED to BLEED THE BRAKES... for a long time now... First no jacks, then bad weather, FINALLY a beautiful weekend & I can't get the rear bleeder to turn. Some wd40 and a couple of hours. Some wd40 and overnight.... Oh well, I decided to clear out the rear of the interior. I have the original Bridgestone spare tire... (which is now secured). I found 3 large heavy washers kicking around by the tail lights... THAT rattle!

I machine stitched the velcro back onto the carpet where it sticks to the trim by the hatch key area and repositioned the shiny silver backing as it belongs under the carpet. Everything seats beautifully and I'm going to wait to try the bleed again next warm weather spell (the other 3 bleed screws have been waiting cracked and reset for months!) I could muck up the bleed thing and just abuse and use it... hmmm wonder if I could replace it at the local auto store? Are they standard? or SPECIAL? anyone know?

 

Wow, your day made mine look good! sorry to hear you had to resort to kitty litter...

 

If you're referring to the bleeder screws you can find them online at like Rock Auto or something, but I would highly suggest getting speed bleeders. It helps with do it yourself brake bleeding.

 

The fitting on the oil coolers like to crack perpendicular to the threads, particularly when over-tightened (easy to do.) It can be fixed - there are people who repair oil coolers. If you can get it really clean, it can be fixed with "Alumaweld" or one of the other low-temp aluminum brazing/welding products, or better still with actual aluminum welding, or tig.
For folks who fix oil coolers for a living, a previous thread suggested checking shops that service helicopters, of all things. Apparently, they use some pretty hefty oil coolers. No idea on the price, but SE oil coolers are rare and a bit pricy. Repair is likely to still be cheaper.

 

Yes, you can get replacement bleeders at most auto parts stores. The RX-7 ones are a standard size, as I recall (different for SA versus FB.)
As previously mentioned, Speed Bleeders are awesome for one-man bleeding: Speed Bleeder Bleeding Brakes Bleeding Motorcycle Brakes Automotive Bleeder Screw Brake Bleeder

 

GSL-SE:

Today went a little better but I didn't get to spend as much time. Cleaned up the saturated kitty litter and layed down more. 3 ot 4 quarts of oil makes a big mess!.

Jacked it up again and put in the jack stands and managed to get the left rear flex line changed. The line to the splitter on the top of the diff was the one that fought me today. I got the flange end off easily. Must be the heat that makes these freeze up and that one is the only one that wouldn't get hot from the brakes. The end of the hose that goes into the splitter does not want to break free. The bracket that holds the splitter to the diff wants to bend and flex. After I put the wheel back on and put it back on the ground I had one of those inspirations. Remove the splitter and put it in a vice. So next time I have a some time I have a plan.

I did take a photo of the two cars in front of the garage. Find it attached here. The one on the left is my third RX-7 and is an 85 GSL that I got in 1999. Has a red interior. This is the one I converted to an EV and is my daily driver. It is about 150 lbs light in the front right now. Not sure if you can see that in this photo but it sits a little nose high. The 85 GSL-SE is the red one with grey interior and is my fourth RX-7. It has 113k miles and is in remarkably good condition apart from a cracked oil cooler.

 

So I called a dealership and the OEM hose is discontinued. I guess I'm going back to Auto Zone for another hose.

 

Now you tell me about the cracking! That is exactly what happened. And Mazdatrix has a note to this effect on the oil cooler web page as well. Now I will be paranoid when I put the new one in.

SE oil coolers are still available new from Mazdatrix. I solved the problem by throwing some money at it and ordered a new one this morning.

I am going to take your advice and see if I can find someone who can repair this one assuming once I get it out of the car that there are no other issues. At least then I will have a spare or something usable as barter material.

So what I did today for my FB was to order an oil cooler.

 

Last night I took a modified Nikki carb off the intake manifold to see what kind of mods had been done to it. Then I unpacked a 13B lower intake manifold that arrived in the mail the other day and started to clean the 25 years of muck off of it.

fm

 

Wow those things are cool... I guess you only gotta get one.

 

I've only heard good about the Speed Bleeders, but I like to rely on my husband in times of "need". It's about as helpful as he wants to get and since he shares the inve$tment, it's nice to interact and bond with the car.

I am going to try to get new screws from O'Riley... My vin starts with SA so, I have an SA right? I have been witnessing folks distinguish between SA and FBs with great intent. I have searched the forums (inadequately so far... ) Anyone got an easy explaination, or good thread to refer to?

 

https://www.rx7club.com/1st-generati...q-page-237777/
Go!

 

SA:-goofy 5mph bumpers (My personal fav)
-Waffles
-Improved tail lights and tag mounting (astheticly speaking)
FB:-X wheels
-looks like molded bumpers
-brakes are different (like hella different)
-much different centre consol


There are a lotta discrete differences but those are the ones that catch the eye first.




EDIT: you can make an FB master cylinder fit an SA if you have a grinder and a desire.

 

Weekend project really - ongoing interior refresh.

Carpets and seats are pulled, so I shampoo and vacuumed them twice. The seats were nastay. Now they look new. Also cleaned the headliner and door panel carpets.

Next will cut new carpet liner and re-install front carpeting and seats.

 

Wait! Theres more:

- Front struts are longer
- Front bearings are smaller
- Rear drums only
- 79 had points ignition and 80 had electronic ignition with poor reluctor design
- Charcoal canister in the top of the air cleaner cover
- Short radiator and front mount oil cooler
- Smaller gas tank and full size spare tire well
- The best looking interior of the 1st gens

 

Started on a back from the dead parts ordering list. plans to have a track day 1980 RX7 back in the mix soon. tires, brakes, seat and harness on the short list. She did fire up on Saturday though!

 

If you are talking about speedbleeders, no you need to leave them in the car. If you remove them and put the original bleeder back in you will need to rebleed the brakes .

 

Well I ordered a new fuel filter and now I'm hunting down some new fuel hoses.
Apparently because the car sits a lot the ethanol must have been able to soak into the rubber, dry it out, which allowed it to split. Done some searching and J30R9 fuel hose should do the trick.
Now that this whole mess is behind me I'm now moving forward with another project for me to fiddle with, which has now put me in the market for Grose jets. :/

 

These FAQ topics went to dead ends!:
A. In short, it's all about VIN numbers.- The requested URL /topic.php was not found on this server.
Here's a cool page called Alphabet Soup & Vehicle Identification - The URI requested is obsolete.

I got the bleeder loose! I bled the correct sequence and improved the performance about 70%... it got dark. Will re approach.

 

Alphabet Soup & Vehicle Identification (Acronyms & More) - Felix's Place

 

- I want new struts but where???... AGRAVATING!!
- good to know, but now its in the same boat as the struts!
- DRUMS \m/
- POINTS \m/
- I'm in the process of removing that heavy thing from mine :P
- Only way to fly
- I zip through gas so fast I wouldn't know anything about tank size
- NO QUESTION THERE!